Malcolm was at our warehouse last Friday, he's a good mate of my boss. He worked in Europe as a motorsport engineer for some well known teams.
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Interesting motorcycles, not XS650
- Thread starter Kevin Werner
- Start date
I just like expansion chambers, I must be childish...
I’ve always thought the Nimbus was a cool old bike. Check out the open air valve train and the sound of the exhaust.
Looks like the Elsinore I busted my tailbone on.
Suzi K
Lovely XT custom. Some custom bikes take things just a bit too far IMO? But Purpose Built Moto have done a good job, brought the bike up to date, very nice, neat, lithe bike. Makes me want to jump on and give 'er a good thrash . . .
Charles13
XS650 Addict
I have an old Yamavarna I built from mail order plans from Flagstaff Arizona, I plan on doing a restomod like this one here, I have a set of KTM forks with a 19” Sun rim setup for the front and, RaceTech has said that they can soup up my old Fox shocks. Some upgraded electrical and possibly an oil tank built into the rear downtube, it’s a ways back in the cue but easily doable;
Another "what-if" story.
https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2017/05/22/sad-case-triumph-banditbsa-fury-350/
https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2017/05/22/sad-case-triumph-banditbsa-fury-350/
Yeah, too late to save them
As a Spanish girl I used to know would say, 'For me, No!'
If only I had known a couple of weeks ago. Bike week in Daytona is over and I can just see that at The Boot Hill Saloon.
Lotus Espirit-Yamaha
Race car by UK-based Terry Windle was powered by a mid-mounted Yamaha TZ-1500 (300hp) V8 engine. Formed by combining two TZ-747cc 4-cyl two-stroke engines, built by Roland Broadbent at Oxford Racing Services.
It's interesting that TZ750 engines started out as two TZ350 engines grafted together end-to-end! The Yamaha TZ750 completely dominated the AMA Formula 750 racing class, winning 9 consecutive Daytona 200's from 1974 through 1983. The great Kenny Roberts rode a Champion-framed TZ750 dirt tracker in the 1975 AMA Grand National series, and later recalled, “It became immediately clear that someone was gonna die riding such a bike, or cause someone else to die. I was at the top of my game in those days, but I really began to wonder what I’d gotten myself into.”
Man I'd love to hear that monster!
“If it weren’t for a young engineering graduate who innovated the solution to a carburettor problem on the Spitfire and Hurricane Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, Britain might have lost WWII almost before it had even begun." RAF Fighter command
Beatrice Shilling became famous for two things. First, as a university-trained engineer she solved a serious problem with the carburettors of Rolls-Royce Merlin-engined fighters such as the Spitfire and the Hurricane. Aerobatic manoeuvres with these planes resulted in fuel starvation and engine cutouts, a serious drawback when chasing - or being chased by - a Messerschmitt Bf109. Beatrice solved the problem by fitting a restrictor in the fuel line, aptly named "Miss Shilling's Orifice".
Secondly, she knew how to fettle and race a cammy Norton and proved so be lapping the Brooklands track at 106 mph on the M30 prepared by herself, earning herself the Brookland Gold Star in the process. She raced and won from professional riders such as Noel Pope on his supercharged Brough Superior.
Her Norton in the picture below taken in 1935, is a very standard-looking 490cc M30. It may date from as early as 1932 as the engine does not contain the distinct oil-filter bolt in the bottom of the bevel chamber. Also, the gearbox predates 1935. The crankcases do look a bit dark; they may be made from the magnesium-based alloy "Electron" or they may just be dirty. No trick International parts like a narrow front forks or an Andree steering damper are fitted and the engine still has the coil valve springs instead of hairpins. The fuel tank does not seem to fit properly and may have been replaced. Unfortunately it is not clear whatever it is she did with the engine to make it go that fast though it looks like the inlet tract is longer than standard.
Beatrice raced her M30 until 1939, at one time even fitting a supercharger. With the declaration of war racing ended at Brooklands and the Norton was returned to a road machine to become Beatrice's chief means of transport for the next fourteen years.
Here’s a beauty for sale in Ontario. Looks like a complete engine rebuild too. Selling for $6500 Cdn. I can’t imagine how much time and money has gone into this build. Pics in next post.
Here’s a beauty for sale in Ontario. Looks like a complete engine rebuild too. Selling for $6500 Cdn. I can’t imagine how much time and money has gone into this build. Pics in next post.
I want it. I could bend that way 20 years ago
